Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve devoted most of my life to being a police officer. I’ve always love writing, however, and I spent my free time writing fiction and poetry. A couple of years ago I got a great idea for a novel and decided to flesh it out. After a lot of work and revision, I was able to complete the manuscript for The Wormhole Effect. I shopped around and finally found a publisher willing to put it into print.
As I come to the close of my police career, I see myself now more as an aspiring author rather than a retiring cop. Oddly enough, the things I love to write have little to do with police work. My chosen genre is science-fiction, mainly because that is what I enjoy reading. There are so many stories to be told, and I enjoy the fact that now I’m in a position to tell a few of them. Now that I’m ready to hang up my badge and gun and sit pensively with my laptop, I’d love to explore new universes–one page at a time.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My novel is called The Wormhole Effect. I’ve always had a passion for time-travel stories, and I’ve been fascinated by Area 51 and the secrets supposedly held there. In this novel, I combine the two interests and answer a few questions that have plagued me for many years. If you want to know all the secrets too, they’re all in there.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have four kids at home, so my writing is usually done late at night when they’ve all drifted off. The advantage to that is that in the wee hours when it’s quiet, your mind can wander places it might not find in the light of day. The soft touch of a shadow on your shoulder at 3 a.m. is all the fuel an active imagination needs to get started.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always admired good writers in the sci-fi field. I grew up reading Frank Herbert, Arthur C. Clark, Ben Bova, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and James P. Hogan. I’ve also drawn on writers from other genres who are exceptionally good at the craft. Among these I cite Stephen King and Tobias Wolff as my favorites.
What are you working on now?
My second novel is called The Phoenix Protocol. The plot centers on a geneticist who perfects a technique for cloning humans from degraded DNA and attempts to recreate the greatest geniuses from history.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve found that social networking, through sites like Facebook and Twitter, are a remarkable resource for marketing a book. Word-of-mouth is always the best advertisement, and social sites provide an electronic means of spreading the word.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
The best advice I can give is to learn the craft, perfect your skills as a writer, read other books in your genre to maintain a feel for what readers like, and most of all, be persistent; not only in refining your skills, but in getting your story down on paper (or on the hard-drive). After that, be persistent in getting your manuscript into the hands of someone who appreciates the work you’ve put into your story.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Remember, a writer writes… always. That’s a line from the movie Throw Mama From the Train.
What are you reading now?
Right now I’m in the middle of a genetics textbook.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to finish my manuscript and work on refining it into something a reader cannot put down until the very last page.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Dune by Frank Herbert.
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